Ch. 631..640
Life at the Top Chapter 631
Benjamin was dumbstruck.
Everything still felt so unreal. Perhaps he had not even woken up from his bed this morning. Was he still dreaming?
Why had Colin suddenly switched teams? Benjamin was even dismissed from his job and was going to be investigated?
Benjamin’s heart was thumping wildly as he subconsciously looked at Jasper. What he saw was the same calm and unruffled Jasper from the moment he first walked through the door. He looked breezy and indifferent regardless of the mockery and ridicule thrown at his face. There was a layer of calm on his face that was impossible to comprehend.
The mysterious and calmness he exuded was nothing at first, though when Benjamin realized that Jasper had so stealthily got the entire situation within his grasp, everything suddenly seemed so terrifying.
The things he and Mr. Monty did and said earlier must have seemed like a joke to Jasper, right?
At the thought of this, the completely disheartened Benjamin looked to his only backer for help, hoping that Conrad could speak up for him.
Conrad, however, was livid at the moment. He looked so gloomy it was as if a thunderstorm was approaching. How could he possibly be in the mood to help him?
After casting several glances, Benjamin sighed hard and said dejectedly, “I understand.”
As Benjamin said those words, he stood up and walked out of the conference room.
His departure did not catch anyone’s attention.
From the very start, Benjamin had been an insignificant character sitting on this conference table. No one cared about him.
The things Mitch said earlier had offended Dwayne, so he was not going to be so cautious anymore.
Dwayne was a mid-level senior executive in the Securities Regulatory Commission. He had connections of his own and wielded authority, so even powerful bosses of listed companies were exceedingly polite to him.
Dwayne did not want to offend Mitch, the young master of Harbor City, but that did not mean he would put up with anything.
He enforced the law impartially so no one could find fault with him. Dwayne refused to believe that the Langdons would come all the way to the Mainland to pick on him because of this.
“If that’s the case, let’s begin voting on the second motion—”
Dwayne was halfway through his sentence when Conrad cut him off. “Hold on.”
Dwayne looked at Conrad. Although he was upset with Mitch, he still needed to show Conrad some respect.
Conrad looked at Jasper and took a deep breath, saying, “You’ve planned all this from the start, haven’t you? Colin has already picked your side, right?”
Jasper chuckled and said, “Don’t say that. The voting system of this shareholders meeting is open and fair. The entire process is recorded and filmed. The Securities Regulatory Commission will review this too. How could we have possibly colluded?
“This is for the good of the company, everyone.”
Conrad sneered. “Since you already hold the winning card, Jasper, then stop pretending. That will only make me despise you more.”
As he said those words, Conrad turned to look at Colin and said calmly, “Mr. Walter, I don’t know what Jasper offered you or what he used to threaten you, but you must make careful considerations when voting for the next motion.”
“If you make the wrong choice, someone will pay the price.”
Jasper said calmly, “Mr. Monty, there are many people watching and listening. Do you think it is right for you, as the chairman, to threaten your shareholders so overtly?”
Conrad sneered, “Are you afraid?”
“Afraid?” Jasper let out a fascinated smile and then looked at Dwayne before saying, “Mr. Martin, let’s begin voting.”
Dwayne nodded. This time, everyone in the conference room, himself included, no longer thought that Jasper was only playing to the gallery.
Even if Jasper was playing to the gallery, they were the ones who were pulled onto the stage in the end, whereas Jasper was the bigwig sitting in the audience watching the show.
Dwayne let out a sigh. From the bottom of his heart, he admired the means and strategies that Jasper had adopted.
He had managed to deceive everybody with his strategies and pulled the rug out from under Conrad’s feet. This was simply… ingenious!
“If that’s the case, let’s begin voting on Mr. Laine’s second motion on reorganizing the board of directors and removing Mr. Conrad from his position as the chairman. The voting will begin now.”
“I object!” Conrad stared fixedly at Colin, gritting his teeth.
“I represent the retail investors holding 6% of the shares to abstain from voting.”
Dwayne looked at Colin. At this moment, he felt slightly anxious as well, and his palms were drenched in sweat unknowingly.
He knew that Colin’s answer would determine the direction of the shareholders meeting. He could also tell the result of this match between Jasper and Conrad, the genius from the Southeast Province that only appeared once every half a century.
Life at the Top Chapter 632
There were too many people paying attention to this news.
It had also brought a huge impact.
Even Dwayne, someone who was used to being part of huge occasions like this, found himself with a parched throat and a pounding heart.
Colin raised his head stiffly, looking at Conrad for the first time.
His gaze was an exceedingly complicated one.
He opened his mouth with much difficulty and said in a slow yet determined tone, “I… agree.”
When those two words left his lips, there was only silence. No one spoke, and everyone was holding their breaths.
Then, for some reason, everyone sighed in unison.
The direction of the company had been decided.
Ultimately, victory or defeat had been determined.
Jasper won.
Conrad, a genius that only appeared once every half a century, lost.
He lost thoroughly and completely.
The audience looked warily at both parties.
Conrad slumped on the chair as though his soul had left his body. There was a slightly dull and bleary look on his face. His palms were still bleeding, and this made him look both wretched and sinister.
As for Jasper, he remained calm and breezy, looking as though he had just accomplished an insignificant task. There was a hint of weariness amidst the calmness on his face, like nothing about this meeting could excite him.
Mitch was livid. He slowly turned around and gave Conrad a death stare, saying, “This is the fun you wanted me to watch? It’s really fun indeed—simply hilarious!”
Conrad trembled, finally coming back to his senses. He stood up abruptly.
Mitch was sitting next to him, and the sudden movement startled him. He looked at Conrad and was about to yell at him when he was taken aback by the man’s sinister and ghastly expression.
Mitch had never seen anything like it. This was an expression that no ordinary people should have.
“Jasper!”
Conrad roared in an ear-piercing voice. His roar sounded like the howling of a mad beast.
“You want to fight it out with me, huh? Don’t forget that I still hold 40% of the shares. So what if you kick me out of the board of directors? Worst comes to worst, I’ll use the Monty family’s aluminum mine that’s worth tens of billions in assets to fight you to the end!”
The Monty family had plenty of assets. Skyward Aluminum might be one of their core industries, but it was one of the many and certainly not everything. It was not a crucial industry that they could not give up either.
“I’ve never suffered defeat but I didn’t think I would win all the time either. Even so, I certainly won’t lose to you! Who do you think you are?! You’re just a piece of rubbish that crawled up from the bottom-most layer. You don’t deserve to win!
“You’d better listen up. Yes, you may have won, but I’ve not lost yet. I would rather destroy this company that’s worth tens of billions than let you have it!”
As Conrad roared like he had gone insane, Jasper interlocked his fingers and propped up his chin. He waited in silence for Conrad to finish.
After that, he said slowly, “Sure.”
Sure?!
Jasper agreed to it?
He agreed to Conrad destroying this company that was worth tens of billions?
Why would Jasper even bother spending tens of billions then?
Everyone was struck dumb by what Jasper said.
Everyone but Young Master Law. He felt a sense of superiority, as though everyone was drunk and he alone was sober. He was even itching to laugh out loud.
This was such a great show to watch!
Henry was well aware of how capable Jasper was and knew the way he handled things better than anyone. To him, earning money was not at all a difficult task. Jasper would only need to ask and the Laws, or even Gale alone, could easily sponsor him with tens of billions at any time!
Moreover, Jasper had ways to make the same amount of money in the shortest time possible. Could Conrad do the same?
Life at the Top Chapter 633
When Jasper said sure, he turned the already tense atmosphere in the conference room strange and tumultuous.
Everyone was puzzled, not knowing what Jasper was thinking or plotting at.
“This aluminum mine in Southeast Province that belongs to Skyward Aluminum was discovered five years ago. If I’m not mistaken, the exploration team at the time was sent by the provincial mining company.
“Logically speaking, the aluminum mine should have belonged to the provincial mining company, but how did it end up as the Monty family’s property? Anyone can smell that something’s fishy about it, right?”
Jasper leaned back on the chair and said indifferently.
Colin’s expression changed as soon as Jasper said those words.
In fact, as the general manager of Southeast Province Mining Company, he was more than aware of this massive problem.
Even to the point where he had received countless benefits from the Monty family for this.
This was an open secret to many.
The person behind this was Conrad, who at the time was just beginning to rise to power in the family.
It was precisely because of this that Conrad’s plans were divulged to Southeast Province’s upper class circles.
What was Jasper’s purpose in revealing the truth now?
Was he trying to settle old scores?
If that was the case, then Colin would most probably be the first man to be thrown out as a scapegoat.
Conrad stared coldly at Jasper and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t. We’ll find the original materials as long as someone is willing to dig them out.” Jasper shrugged.
“By the way, most of the previous exploration team members now work for Haddock Mining Group.”
At this point, Jasper chuckled. Hidden behind his gentle smile were his actual schemes.
“You think destroying the company will be the greatest threat to me? Are you trying to destroy indiscriminately?
“What you didn’t expect, however, is that I never intended to take this aluminum mine that you treasure so much. Gale loves it, though. I’m sure you know who Haddock Mining Group’s boss is, right?”
Jasper grinned at Conrad whose complexion had changed abruptly and said, “Destroy it, then! Why don’t you destroy it right now? When the time comes, you don’t have to worry whether I will feel great about this or not because Gale certainly won’t make the Monty family feel great about it.”
Conrad was so furious that his lungs nearly blew up. He roared at Jasper, “Gale?! So after everything you’ve done, they were just orders from Gale?! Gale has always wanted to seize Southeast Province’s mining industry. You’re bringing disaster upon yourself!”
“You must have hit your head, huh, Conrad?” Jasper said flatly.
“I have nothing to do with whether Gale wants to seize Southeast Province’s mining industry or not. This isn’t the industry where I make my living from. Do you think I would work with Gale had you not provoked me first?
“It’s not so bad, though. At least I made a lot of money. He can take this mine if he wants to. I don’t need it anyway.”
Conrad sat down dejectedly, saying no more.
No one knew what Conrad was thinking about at this moment.
Dwayne waited for a very long time and realized that Conrad had nothing else to add. He forced himself to stand up and said, “We’ll proceed with the voting, then.
“The voting result is out. I hereby announce that the second motion initiated by Mr. Jasper Laine, who’s representing JW Investment Company, to reorganize Skyward Aluminum’s board of directors and remove Mr. Conrad as chairman is passed!”
Having said that, Dwayne looked at Conrad and then at Jasper before letting out a wry smile. “Are there any other motions?”
His question was met with silence.
After breathing a deep sigh of relief, Dwayne announced, “All motions have been submitted, taken into deliberation, as well as decided in the shareholders meeting. I hereby announce that the Skyward Aluminum shareholders meeting has now officially ended.”
Having said that, Dwayne led his men away without looking back.
This was clearly a living hell, and Dwayne, who was used to putting his own safety before matters of principle, could not bring himself to linger a second longer in this place.
When Dwayne had left, Colin stood up as well. He glanced at Henry, who was sitting next to Jasper, and was aware that he needed to keep a low profile at this moment. As such, he turned around and left as well.
Therefore, Jasper, Henry, Conrad, and Mitch were the only ones left in the conference room.
Although he had won, Jasper did not taunt Conrad further.
On the one hand, this was not in line with his character.
On the other hand, the Monty family was way more capable and powerful than he thought. Skyward Aluminum was nothing.
He and the Monty family were now sworn enemies. There were still plenty of chances for them to have fun together in the future.
On the contrary, Henry was full of zest, but he was disinterested in inferior trust fund babies like Conrad. As such, he stared at Mitch whose face was growing sullen by the minute, tutting and sighing non-stop.
“Tsk, tsk!”
Henry did not blow his trumpet nor sing his own praises either. He simply tutted from time to time. This degree of mockery was far more lethal than using actual words.
“What the f*ck are you tutting about?!”
Mitch could not stand it anymore and sprung up from his chair. He glared viciously at Conrad and said, “I will report everything that has happened today to my father. Aren’t you just f*cking marvelous?”
“What kind of f*cking genius are you? A genius that appears once every half a century? Motherf*cker! I can smack nine out of ten idiots on the streets to find one just like you.”
Mitch stomped away after saying those words.
“We should leave too,” Jasper said to Henry.
Henry chuckled. “I’m in a good mood today. Should we go to the bar and have some fun later?”
“Are bars the only places where you can have fun?”
“There are many gorgeous ladies there. Why else do you think I want to go?”
“You can go yourself. I’m not interested.”
“Darn it. Yeah, yeah, I get it. You’re noble and refined.”
“I call it self-discipline.”
Their conversation drifted further and further away. Ultimately, all noise was cut off by the dull sound of the door closing.
The conference room was engulfed in pin drop silence, so silent that Conrad could hear his own heavy breathing.
It was at this moment that he finally felt his palm going numb from the pain.
“Hahahaha, Jasper Laine! I’ll make this a living hell for you!”
Conrad looked at his bloody palm and started laughing hysterically.
Life at the Top Chapter 634
After some time, the door to the dimly lit conference room opened.
A man with a tall frame walked over and placed his palm on Conrad’s shoulder. Conrad had stayed in the same position in the conference room for more than ten hours now.
“Dad! It’s you…”
Conrad called out with trembling lips.
“It’s time to go home.”
In the dark, the man’s voice was heard.
“You’re still young. There’s no harm in suffering some setbacks. The finest diamond must be cut.”
“I refuse to accept this.” Conrad clenched his fists.
“It’s right to feel that way. If you refuse to accept this result, then find a chance to strike back.”
“If you keep being so low-spirited, then you don’t deserve to be my, Steven Monty’s, son.”
…
News about what had happened in Skyward Aluminum’s shareholders meeting spread like wildfire.
Southeast Province was in turmoil.
No one had expected Jasper to gain victory with such incredible ease in the shareholders meeting.
Meanwhile, Conrad, whom the people of Southeast Province held in such high regard, had fallen from his throne after this incident.
As it turned out, a genius that only appeared once every half a century was nothing but a load of bullcrap. The glory he basked in back then was also how bad of a fall he had taken this time. Those who jeered at him grew in numbers as well.
The turmoil in the outside world did not stop Jasper from carrying out his original plan.
After the shareholders meeting, the first thing Jasper did was transfer all the shares to Gale.
Gale got control of Skyward Aluminum as he had wished while Jasper walked away with 300 million in commission.
Not only that, Jasper and Dawson had also received all of the Hanks’ properties throughout the entire Southeast Province.
Without Gale’s help, it would have been almost impossible for Jasper to get rid of the Hanks family so efficiently. After all, one must not underestimate a family that had taken root and operated in a province for decades.
At the end, when every last drop of blood was squeezed out of the Hanks, they declared bankruptcy.
Nevertheless, even if a camel had been starved to death, its meat was still extremely valuable.
Almost all of that meat was shared between Jasper and Dawson, both father and son-in-law.
Up until now, the people of Southeast Province still had their eyes fixed on his strife with the Monty family. No one noticed how much Jasper had benefited from this kerfuffle where he devoured the Hanks.
This was also precisely why Jasper had worked with Gale in exchange for Haddock’s support.
“There are 34 real estates, 28 of which are worth more than ten million, and almost all of them are commercial buildings located in flourishing locations.
“There are also bond contracts that have yet to expire and some miscellaneous equipment that totals up to 2.98 billion.”
These assets had fallen into Jasper’s hands as a form of compensation from the Hanks for breaching the contract.
“Sure enough, robbing is the best way to get rich fast.”
Dawson was in such a good mood that he joked with Jasper.
Jasper said with a smile, “Actually, the Hanks are much more capable than this, but their family members have taken away all that could be taken away when they escaped. Also, my guess is that they’ve robbed their own hidden reserves.”
Dawson said, “This explains exactly why I dislike family-run management. Even if they’re related by blood, there will be rotten apples when there are too many people. Rotten apples like that, even if just one or two, are enough to turn the entire family bad in a short period of time.”
“What we need to do next is exercise caution,” Jasper said.
Dawson nodded to agree and then said with a frown, “I just received news that Steven Monty will be reappointed as the chairman of Monty Enterprise’s board of directors after nearly ten years of retirement. This shows that he’s planning to intervene to handle the repercussions that this storm has brought.”
“They’re not going to let this drop so easily.” Jasper massaged his temples, and Conrad’s face popped up in his mind.
Life at the Top Chapter 635
Honestly, in terms of schemes and means, Conrad was by far the most powerful peer whom Jasper had ever encountered.
If Gale and the Laws had not backed him up this time, he might not have had trouble bringing down the Hanks family, but he would have had trouble subduing Conrad.
Jasper had a hunch that Conrad would be a huge problem to him.
After suffering a massive blow this time, Conrad was not going to attack rashly anymore, but when he would attack, it was bound to be an earth-shattering one.
“What are you afraid of? When the soldiers arrive, we’ll use a general to keep them off!”
Dawson patted Jasper on the shoulder and laughed. “If you can beat him once, you can beat him twice.”
Just then, the office door was pushed open and Wendy walked in.
“Dad, I’m having dinner with Jasp tonight.” Wendy finished her sentence and was about to drag Jasper out the door.
“We are? I didn’t know that!” Jasper exclaimed in surprise.
“You’ve been working your tail off. Didn’t Julian tell you yesterday that he and his sister wanted to invite us to dinner?” Wendy was exasperated.
Jasper smacked his forehead and said, “Oh, right! Julian wants to introduce his martial artist friend to us. I plan to hire a female bodyguard to protect you.”
Wendy used to be very resistant to bodyguards but had now learned her lesson and did not object. She knew that her safety was no longer her own affairs. She had to think about Dawson and Jasper too, at least to reassure them.
Wendy said helplessly, “I hope she isn’t the nosy kind.”
After a quick conversation with Dawson at the company, Jasper and Wendy went downstairs together.
Julian and Cathy were already waiting downstairs.
“Mr. Laine, Ms. Schuler.”
Cathy took the initiative to greet them with a bright smile.
“Looking good.” Jasper laughed.
Cathy was recuperating really well after her surgery. Now that her leukemia had cured, coupled with her stable job, Cathy felt as though her life had changed completely.
She had put some effort into dressing up, and though she did not look gorgeous, at least she looked healthy and ruddy—like a completely different person.
“Thanks for taking care of me, Mr. Laine, Ms. Schuler.” Cathy thanked them from the bottom of her heart.
Jasper got into the car and waved his hand with a smile, saying, “You’re more than welcome. You can call me Jasper. I’m just two months older than you, so it doesn’t really matter.”
“Okay, Jasper,” Cathy said with delight.
“What sort of dinner are you treating us to today?” Jasper asked Julian who was currently driving.
“Now that your earnings have increased, I can finally eat the food you’re treating me to in peace, so don’t be stingy, okay?”
Julian could detect the humor in Jasper’s words and said with a smile, “I’m sorry to disappoint you then, Jasper. I’m not planning to take you to a high-end hotel.”
“Oh, please don’t.” Jasper waved his hands, looking appalled. “The food in hotels may be exquisite but I’ve gotten tired from eating it every day. I’m hoping to eat something ordinary right now.”
“Well Jasper, Ms. Schuler, have you eaten crayfish before?” Julian asked.
Jasper’s eyes lit up.
This was 2001, and crayfish had yet to become popular.
Two years before his reincarnation, around the year 2017, crayfish started becoming insanely popular.
“Let’s eat that, then,” Jasper said.
“What’s crayfish?” Wendy asked Jasper, tilting her head.
She had eaten all kinds of fish and lobster but not crayfish.
“An exquisite supper. In the world of supper, crayfish skewers can be considered the King of Supper.” Jasper chuckled.
Life at the Top Chapter 636
As crayfish was not that popular yet, Julian drove around the city for a very long time before he found a crayfish shop near the suburbs on a food street with stalls that sold midnight snacks.
At this moment, the evening lights lit up. The food street was near several factories, so many workers and residents who lived around the area would come out for a stroll. Thus, the place was currently bustling with energy.
Julian went to order the food, and when he returned to his seat, he muttered, “This stuff is incredibly cheap back home. You can see crayfish everywhere in the waterways, and they cost one buck per pound. I can’t believe this place is charging me 15 bucks.”
There were two men and two women at Jasper’s table. Especially with Wendy’s good looks, everyone had their eyes on them.
Wendy hardly ever visited places like this, so she began studying her environment curiously.
Whenever she threw a glance at the shirtless men who were holding glasses of draft beer and boasting loudly, they would subconsciously tone down their actions—even to the point where they put down their foot that was propped up on the stool.
Jasper arranged the disposable tableware for Wendy and said with a smile, “The food in a hotel is good, but street food is unique in its own way as well. If I must pick one, I’ll pick street food over food in hotels because I feel more at ease here.”
Wendy scrunched up her nose and said in disbelief, “Why are you still racking your brains thinking of ways to earn so much money then?”
“I’m not making money for the sole purpose of buying food. Although food is viewed as a primary need, how much can we really eat? If eating is my main goal, then I would’ve retired a long time ago.” Jasper laughed.
“What’s your purpose of making money then, Jasper?” Julian asked because he rarely heard Jasper mention these things.
Jasper pondered for a moment and chuckled. “There are many beautiful places in this world that I have yet to discover. I’d love to visit these places, but I’m bound to bump into problems in the process. It just so happens that money is the best solution to these problems.”
After hearing what he said, Julian scratched his head and said awkwardly, “I don’t understand.”
As they spoke, the female shop owner came over with the dishes they ordered. A large bowl of steaming crayfish was placed at the center of the table. The scarlet-colored crayfish stood out, while the steam and fragrance aroused everyone’s appetite.
“I’ve not eaten crayfish for so long.” Jasper picked up a crayfish despite it being steaming hot. He quickly peeled off the shell and popped it into his mouth. His eyes lit up as he said, “Yup, this is it. This is the taste!”
Having said that, Jasper peeled another crayfish for Wendy and said, “Try it. You can’t get this in hotels.”
Wendy was about to take it when there was someone guffawing at the next table.
“F*cking dope, I’d say. I’ve seen people put on a show, but not as good as them. They’re talking about making big bucks one second and big hotels the next.”
“Those who are clever enough will know that you’re eating in a shop in a food street, but those who don’t might think that you’re a king from a foreign country here to gain life experiences.”
What followed after those words were bursts of laughter.
Julian frowned and then turned his head in annoyance. He saw three to five men sitting next to their table. The man who spoke earlier had a perverted look on his face as he leered at Wendy, seemingly proud of the things he just said.
Julian was even more crossed now and was just about to get up when Jasper said, “Remain in your seat, Julian.”
Jasper then turned around and looked at the perverted man, saying, “Whether I’m pretending or not is my business. Does that affect you?”
The pervert chuckled and said with a sinister gaze, “I didn’t know that eating at a food street can boost your sense of superiority. We lads should keep a low profile when we go out. We shouldn’t say hilarious things like that just to pick up ladies.”
As he spoke, the perverted man whistled at Wendy frivolously and laughed. “Hey gorgeous, what’s so good about dating this good-for-nothing pretty boy? Why don’t you come over and sit with us? Have a drink with tough men like us, eh?”
As soon as the man finished his sentence, a wine bottle was smashed into his forehead.
Life at the Top Chapter 637
The sudden attack caused a commotion. Jasper looked up and saw a keen-witted woman with short hair. She lifted the perverted man, the same man who spoke rudely earlier, like she was lifting a little chick. She said indifferently, “I hate it when a man takes liberties with a woman.”
“Senior!” Julian exclaimed in delight when he saw the woman.
In the blink of an eye, all eyes were on them. The head of the man who was being lifted up by Julian’s senior was covered in blood. He was wailing non-stop, while the other men who were sitting on the same table as him had long since slipped away.
“Get lost!” Julian’s senior tossed the man on the floor and roared.
The perverted man covered his forehead, too afraid to say a word. He ran off while pissing his pants.
“Julian.” Julian’s senior first greeted Julian before turning to look at Jasper.
“Senior, I’d like to introduce you to Jasper, the man I told you about. He’s my boss and my savior,” Julian said, standing up.
“Jasper, this is my senior. Her name is Fallon Murray. Her combat skills are no worse than mine.”
“Hello.” Jasper stood up and stretched out his hand politely.
Fallon glanced at Jasper’s palm and said with a straight face, “I’m sorry, I’m not used to touching strangers unless this is the arena.”
Such a powerful aura!
Fallon’s actions left a deep impression on Jasper.
“Alright then. Shall we sit down and talk?” Jasper said with a smile, not the slightest bit crossed by her attitude toward him.
Fallon nodded and sat beside Julian.
“When did you arrive, senior?” Cathy asked immediately. Surprisingly, Cathy and Fallon were really close.
“I just arrived. It was hard to find this place. The cab driver drove around for a really long time,” Fallon said in an unrestrained manner.
As Fallon spoke, she turned and looked at Wendy. With a different kind of zeal than what she showed Jasper, she asked, “Are you the target I’m supposed to protect?”
Wendy was a little overwhelmed by Fallon’s blazing gaze and looked subconsciously at Jasper.
Jasper narrowed his eyes slightly and said, “Only after we hire you.”
Julian tugged at Fallon’s shirt in secret and whispered, “Be more polite to Jasper, senior.”
Fallon twitched her mouth with displeasure and said, “So what? Nine out of ten rich people like him hope to hire me as their bodyguard but I always refuse. It’s not like I’ve never met one before.
“Rich people like them have always looked down on others just because they have some stinking money. We don’t need to be so polite to them.”
“Senior!” Julian was slightly crossed now. He pulled a long face and said sternly, “I don’t know about others but Jasper isn’t that kind of person.”
“Argh, alright. What does a little kid like you know? You don’t even know when you’re being taken advantage of by others.” Fallon waved her hand without a care and turned to Jasper again, saying, “You want to hire me? I’m really expensive to hire.”
Life at the Top Chapter 638
“Money isn’t a problem. I don’t think I need to go in-depth about this. You can just ask Julian.
“Not only does he have a high income, but his income is also considered the highest in the country.”
Jasper took his time to peel the crayfish, eating one by himself and feeding another to Wendy.
Jasper noticed something with his keen senses.
Fallon’s eyes would flash whenever he fed Wendy.
Jasper was fascinated by the discovery.
“Likewise, I’m a businessman, and for every penny I pay, I expect a return of equal value. Therefore, I’d like to know how capable you are.”
Fallon crossed her arms and smirked smugly, saying, “Don’t worry about that. Julian has never won against me until I turned 20.”
“Does that mean that your abilities began to decline after you turned 20 years old?” Jasper asked sharply.
Fallon’s expression turned stiff as she complained, “That’s the physiological gap between men and women. Do you actually think I’d get better the older I am just like in the movies?
“Besides, my abilities aren’t declining. I can remain in tiptop condition for at least another decade. Julian is getting stronger, but even now, he still can’t beat me by too much.”
Julian scratched his head after hearing what she said. He said to Jasper, “What she said is right, Jasper. Even now, I’m not entirely sure I can beat her.”
Jasper nodded and said, “In that case, your skills and abilities have passed the requirement. Most importantly, I’m getting Wendy someone that’s trustworthy. You play a crucial role, and her life and safety are in your hands. Do you think you can handle it?”
Fallon said, sounding unconvinced, “I wouldn’t have come if I couldn’t.”
As Fallon said those words, she frowned and said a little impatiently, “Also, I think you ought to know that I’m selling my skills, not myself. I need to have my own freedom and time as well.”
“If that’s the case, I don’t think we can proceed with this conversation.” Jasper shook his head.
“Are you expecting me to set up an eight-hour work schedule for you? So you can clock in and out every day? You need to be ready to deal with emergencies at all times. You will work so long as Wendy is outside.”
Fallon said with displeasure, “Hey, don’t get so full of yourself just because you have some stinking money. I’m not going to starve to death if I don’t get this job.”
“It just so happens that I can also hire someone else to do it if you can’t.” Jasper stood in sharp opposition to Fallon with a grin, having no intention of giving in.
Fallon gritted her teeth in anger and then looked at Julian, asking, “Why is your boss acting like that, Julian?”
Julian scratched his head and said, “This is a misunderstanding, senior. Jasper is really easy to talk to. I don’t know why both of you can’t get along.”
“No one wants to get along with him!” Fallon harrumphed and looked at Wendy, saying, “Can we talk?”
Wendy smiled and said, “Sure, what would you like to ask?”
Fallon said with a frown, “I’m a really casual person, and I certainly can’t take care of you all the time. Besides, I’m only responsible for your safety, so you can’t order me around like I’m your servant.”
Wendy nodded and said, “Yeap, that’s what I want.”
Fallon said with a smile, “You’re so much easier to talk to than him and much more pleasing to the eye.”
Wendy noticed Fallon’s eyes glowing when she stared at her and felt uneasy. She subconsciously leaned toward Jasper.
“To be honest, I have a pretty simple work-life schedule. I’ll either be at the company or at home. I don’t have anything in particular to do as well, so this is going to be quite an easy job for you. Besides, I don’t think I’ll be attacked every day.”
Life at the Top Chapter 639
Wendy figured that Jasper made things sound too serious and took the initiative to explain.
Coincidentally, as soon as Wendy finished her sentence, they heard the sound of a car suddenly screeching to a halt.
A van pulled over at the side of the road, and five to six men with sharp blades hopped out of the vehicle. One of them was covering his head that was sloppily bandaged and shrieked while pointing at Jasper. “That’s him, Drake! Hack him to death!”
Jasper frowned and glanced at Fallon.
Fallon tacitly understood. She stood up and lifted the plastic stool from underneath before charging forward.
Terrified, Wendy said to Jasper in a haste, “Shall we call the police, Jasp?”
Jasper said with a smile, “No, we have two bodyguards. You’re going to embarrass them if you call the police. When you deal with thugs like them, it’s best to do so using their own strategies.”
Nowadays, most of the folks in Southeast Province had doughty spirits. Most ordinary citizens would only fan the flames and crowd around to watch the show.
Therefore, when they saw five to six men rushing over with blades, not only did the others not run away screaming, but they even crowded around to watch with great interest.
Soon after, these onlookers and Jasper got to witness what being doughty was like.
Fallon was seen lifting the plastic stool all by herself and rushing toward the five to six burly men who were wielding knives.
The men were stunned for a moment, but these thugs were used to fighting the minority with large numbers and bullying the weak. They could not care less and began hacking at Fallon while clamoring.
When the plastic stool was in Fallon’s hands, it turned into a sharp and effective weapon. Anyone who touched it would let out a shrill cry and crash to the ground.
It was as though she was chopping melons and vegetables.
Jasper knew that as Julian’s senior, Fallon could easily handle these thugs, but little did he expect this woman to use only a plastic stool to finish off those knife-wielding thugs.
Moreover, Jasper realized that Julian’s approach resembled traditional martial arts more, and every move he launched was traceable.
Fallon was different. She moved without a trace and would smash everything within her reach. Her every move was not rigidly adhered to any form.
Within two to three minutes, Fallon returned to Jasper’s side, neither flushed nor out of breath. She threw away the blood-stained and cracked plastic stool that was still in one piece and raised her chin, saying, “What do you think?”
“Great! You’re really skillful indeed.” Jasper could only say that.
He figured that even ten to 20 versions of himself would not be nearly enough to help Fallon with her warm-up exercises.
Her skills were enough reason for Jasper to hire her.
However, why was this woman so zealous toward his woman?
“Are you impressed, Ms. Schuler?”
Jasper could not help but think that something was not right when he saw Fallon showing off to Wendy so smugly.
Wendy replied awkwardly, “I’m impressed!”
“You know what, I don’t see why we should continue having this meal. Let’s go home. Go and pay the bills, Julian,” Jasper said after standing up.
Fallon watched as Jasper led Wendy to the car and cried out in a hurry, “Hey! You didn’t tell me my schedule yet.”
“Julian will take you around to familiarize yourself with your job. You’ll start working tomorrow and will receive the same benefits as Julian.”
Life at the Top Chapter 640
Now that matters regarding Fallon had been taken care of, this relieved one of Jasper’s anxieties.
However, Jasper could not help feeling that Fallon’s behavior toward Wendy was a bit unusual, especially in the way she looked at Wendy. The way Fallon gazed upon her was exactly the way he himself gazed at Wendy.
This made Jasper feel rather uneasy.
As a result, the next day, Jasper requested two female bodyguards from Dawson. Although they were likely not on par with Fallon in terms of ability, their forte was that they were professional and reliable. Jasper’s main objective for hiring them was to keep an eye on Fallon.
When Fallon found out about Jasper’s decision, she immediately went to see him, looking extremely dissatisfied.
“Jasper, what is the meaning of this? Don’t you trust me?
“Those two you’ve just hired—I can dispose of them with just one finger.”
Jasper was sorting out some clothes. After listening to what Fallon had to say, he replied coolly and calmly, “Didn’t you say you wanted freedom and time for yourself? Now that I’ve hired two more bodyguards, you can take things a bit easier.”
“But…”
Fallon still wanted to say something, but then she noticed Jasper looking at her.
Truthfully speaking, Fallon could easily deal with an ordinary person like Jasper—she could do it with just one finger even. Yet she did not know why she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as Jasper fixed her with a seemingly calm, serene gaze.
It was the same sort of feeling that one would get if they were being scrutinized by a ferocious beast. The sheer unadulterated pressure on her nerves made her apprehensive.
“I’m usually an easy person to talk to most of the time, so you can also express your own opinions, and I’ll take them into consideration. However, when I’ve made a decision on any particular matter, I don’t wish to hear any voices raised in opposition. Do you understand me?”
Fallon nodded instinctively when she heard what Jasper had to say.
The next second, however, she began fuming at herself for being so useless. She had actually been intimidated by Jasper, who was merely a physically weak, ordinary man. By now, however, Jasper had already gotten into the car with Julian.
“I’m headed to Waterhoof for a few days and won’t be at home, so I’ll entrust Wendy’s safety to you. I hope I can rely on you.” Jasper rolled up the window of the car once he finished speaking, and drove off grandly in the large Bentley without so much as a backward glance.
Watching the Bentley’s shadow disappear down the end of the road, Fallon gritted her teeth in anger.
“That f*cking son of a b*tch. All he has is a bit of lousy money—what’s there to be so smug about!”
Fallon kept on muttering in extreme dissatisfaction, but then her eyes lit up immediately. “Doesn’t that mean Wendy and I will have some time alone then?”
…
“Jasper, where do we head first when we get to Waterhoof City?”
Julian, who was driving the car, asked.
“We’ll go to the Wonderland Hotel first to check-in. After that, I’ll go meet a few people. This time around, we might need to stay in Waterhoof City for about three to five days.
“The first matter of business will be to communicate with the personnel in the city government about the development plans for that piece of land we purchased previously. The second thing will be to go shopping.”
Jasper was seated in the back of the car, the luxurious and comfortable back seat having been customized to suit him. Subsequently, he commented comfortably, both legs on the seat’s leg rest as he switched on the massage feature.
“So, you’ll have a bit more free time. When there’s nothing on the agenda, you can go look around on your own and buy whatever knick-knacks you like. After all, our economy in the Southeast Province can’t compare with Waterhoof City. There are many things you can only find in Waterhoof City.”
“I really don’t have anything that I want to buy. I already have everything I basically need,” Julian said bluntly.
Jasper replied somewhat helplessly, “I’ve heard your sister say before that you always only rotate between these two sets of clothing and that you don’t know how to dress up. If you keep on like this, how are you going to find yourself a girlfriend?”